Government lifts beche-de-mer ban

The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources has announced, it is lifting the beche-de-mer ban this month.

Director Fisheries Edward Honiwala said the decision follows an order to revoke the ban implemented early this year.

“So this announcement is for all our fishermen farmers and all the people in our communities to be aware that the beche-de-mer fisheries has opened.
So you can harvest your resources and then make money from it.”

Mr Honiwala advised, people must be conscious of the marine product’s sustainability and suggests measures they can implement, during the open season.

“I think it is good to close some areas in your reefs while people harvest in other places so that certain parts of the reefs are protected. This way adult ones can still reproduce.

“Otherwise we will just deplete all our stocks and then we will have problems. Also advisable that when you harvest, try to leave some big ones in the areas you harvested in.”

By: Kikiva Tuni